Radiator inlet valve



Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,122

c. A. DUNHAM RADIATOR INLET VALVE Filed April 5,.1922

' Maui, ym/WY WW InJenm Patented Aug. 4, 1925. v

UNITED STATES PAT CLAYTON A. DUNHAM, OF GLENCOE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T00. A. DUNHAM COMPANY,

I 01' MABfiHAT-ILTOWN, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

nanmroa INLET VALVE.

Application flied April 3, 1922. Serial No. 549,385.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON A. DUNHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Glencoe, in the colmty of Cook and State ofIllinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Radiator Inlet ,Valves,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to radiator inlet valves, and it has for its objectthe provision of a new and improved form and arrangement of parts byreason of which a flexible diaphragm is utilized for providing a part1-tion for separating thevalve chamber from the operating mechanism bywhich the seating member is moved posltivelyinto and out of operativeclosing position.

The preferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects areillustrated in the drawings and are hereinafter specifically described.That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by this applicationis set forth in the claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through myimproved valve;

Fig.2 is a horizontal section taken substantially at line 22 of Fig. 1.1

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated bythe same reference characters, 15 indicates a casing preferably of castmetal, having a steam inlet port 16 threaded on its inner face, and anoutlet port 17 threaded on its outer face, a nipple 18 of any approvedtype being secured to the outlet port 17 by means of the usual threadedcap 19.

In the fluid chamber 20 between the ports 16 and 17, I have providedclosure means comprising a seating member 21 mounted within'an annularopening in the bottom face of a valve head 22. The seating member 21 inpreferably made of hard fiber, and is held in position in the head 22 bythe use of a screw threaded cap 23. Suitable means is also provided, ashereinafter described, for moving the valve head 22 vertically forcarrying t e seating member 21 into and out of operative closingposition with respect to a seat 24 provided by the casing 15.

The means for giving the valve head 22 its operative movement comprisesa stem or spindle 25 having a cylindrical head 26 on its lower end whichin the assembly of the valve is moved laterally into engagement withunder-cut lugs 27 formed integrally with the head 22 in the form ofconstruction illustrated. The spindle 25 is thus adapted to give saidvalve head a positive movement vertically for operating the seatingmember 21 positively, at the same time the s indle being free to rotatewith respect to sai head 22. The means for moving the spindle 25vertically comprises a second spindle member 28, the lower end portionof which has screw threaded connection with a sleeve 29 which in theconstruction shown is formed integrally with a cap 30 secured by meansof screw threads upon the upper end of the casing 15. The upper endportion of the spindle 25 is cut away at its opposite sides so as togive it a flattened formation, and is further cut away at oppositelydisposed points for providing a flattened head 31.

The lower end portion of the spindle member 28 is correspondingly cutout from one side for providing an undercut groove into which the head31 is capable of being slid laterally, in the course of the assembly ofthe valve. By this construction, the two spindle members are caused torotate together-and to move longitudinally in unison. Inasmuch as therotation of the spindle member 28 causes it to move up and down withinthe sleeve 29, it will be understoodthat by this operation the seatingmember .21 may be moved into and out of operative closing posit-ion withrespect to the seat 24. Inasmuch as the spindle-member 25 is revolublyconnected with the valve head 22, this vertical movement of the head 22and the seating member 21 may be effected without rotary movement ofsuch parts.

In the construction shown, the spindle member 28 has mounted upon itssquared upper end portion a plate 32 which is provided with lugs 33on'its upper face engaging suitable sockets in a handle 34 of anyapproved type. A screw 35 is employed for holding the handle 34 inposition, such screw having threaded engagement with a suit-able openingin-the spindle member 28. A closure plate 36 is provided in the handle34 above the screw 35.

With my improved flexible diaphragm construction in use, the necessityfor any packing about the valve operating parts is avoided. Thisimproved flexible diaphragm, which serves as a partition for separatingthe fluid chamber 20 of the valve from the valve operating mechanismcomprises a thin metal plate 37 having a downwardly turned flange at itsouter edge about the upper end'oi' the casing 15, being clamped securelyin position thereon by the tightening of the screw threaded cap 30. Asecond thin metal plate 38 is provided with a downwardly turned flangeextending about the valve head 22, being preferably soldered in posit1onthere on. Connected in series between the plates 37 and 38, there are aplurality of pairs of thin metal plates 39 and 40, each of which platesis flanged at both its inner and its outer edge portions for suitableconnection with the adjacent plates, such connection being preferablyeffected by soldering. Each of the plates 37, 38, 39 and 40 is providedin the construction shown with a series of annular corrugations pressedtherein, the arrangement being such that a very slight pressure suflicesfor expanding or contracting the drum-like diaphragm structurelongitudinally thereof.

By the arrangement employed, comprising a considerable number of plates,upon a given movement of one of the end plates 37 and 38, with respectto the other end plate, each of the intermediate plates is given only avery small movement comparatively with respect to the adjacent plates,wherefore the life of the diaphragm is greatly prolonged as comparedwith a construction in which the relative movement of the adjacent partsis materially greater.

By the use of my improved construction in which the valve head 22 ismoved positively in both directions by the valve operating means withoutrelying upon the resiliency of the diaphragm for giving the motion inone direction, the stresses upon the diaphragm are very materiallyreduced, serving thus very materially to increase the life of thediaphragm. Inasmuch as the diaphragm is the only part which is subjectto any appreciable wear, in addition possibly to the seating member 21which can be readily replaced, this improved construction for prolongingthe life of the diaphragm is of very great importance. Moreover, byrelieving the stress upon the diaphragm as I have done, I secure a muchmore even movement of the valve head and the seating member, thus alsoreducing the wear upon the seating member.

By connecting the diaphragm directly to the valve head 22 at its outeredge portion,

I have provided that the head is held evenlyin position by the diaphragmso that the gasket 21 moves always in right lines into and out ofengagement with the seat. This serves the double purpose of reducingWear on the gasket and of preventing any twisting or sidewise stress onthe diaphragm.

This is of very considerable importance in the matter of the life of thediaphragm.

So far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to provide a valveconstruction in which a gasket or other closure member is movablepositively into and out of operative closing position and in which aflexible diaphragm acts as a partition for separating the operatingmechanism for the valve completely from the fluid passing through thevalve, and my claims are to be construed accordingly.

While I prefer to employ the form of construction illustrated in thedrawing and above described, it will be understood that I do not wish tobe restricted to the details of construction illustrated except so faras the same are claimed hereinafter, inasmuch as it is evident thatvarious changes can be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

1. A valve comprising a casing, a valve head, a seating member carriedby said valve head, a spindle having a head on its lower end, undercutlugs on said valve head engaging the head on said spindle serving uponlongitudinal movement of the spindle to move the valve head for carryingthe seating member into and out of operative closing position, a secondspindle member in alignment with said first named spindle, detachableconnections between said two spindle members adapted to cause them tomove in unison both longitudinally and rotatively, means serving uponthe rotation of the second spindle to give it a longitudinal movement,and a flexible diaphragm connected between said casing and said valvehead acting as a partition for separating the fluid chamber of the valvefrom the said spindle.

2. A'valve comprising a casing, a valve head, a seating member carriedby said valve head, a spindle revolubly connected with said valve headand adapted upon rotary movement alternatively in opposite directions tomove said valve head positively for carrying said seating memberrespectively into and out of operative closing position, a flanged plateof thin metal connected at its outer edge with said casing, a secondflanged plate of thin metal connected at its outer edge ortion with theouter edge portion of said valve head, and a plurality of pairs ofplates of thin metal flanged at both their inner and their outer edgesconnected in series between said first and second metal plates forproviding a closure between the fluid chamber of the valve and theoperating means, said plates being provided with annular corrugationspressed therein.

CLAYTON A. DUNHAM;

